Dru Joyce

James Washington (Boras Basket) Dru Joyce Had The Most Impact On Me When I Was With Trier

James Washington is a 28 year old 182cm guard from St Louis Missouri that is entering his sixth professional season and first with Boras Basket (Sweden-Basketligan). He played at W.Illinois (NCAA) from 2006-2008 and then transferred to Middle Tenn.St. (NCAA). In his senior year he played 32 games: 14.0ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.8apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 86.4%. He started his professional basketball career for TBB Trier (Germany-BBL) in 2011 and played 23 games averaging  5.7ppg, 1.8rpg, FGP: 38.8%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 80.0%. In the 2012-2013 season he played for BG Topstar Leitershofen/Stadtbergen (Germany-Pro B) playing 15 games averaging 20.0ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 83.5%. In the 2013-2014 season he moved to KFUM Nassjo Basket (Sweden-Basketligan) playing 36 games averaging 17.0ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.9apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 48.5%, 3FGP: 38.7%, FT: 83.6%, in Mar.’14 moved to VOO Wolves Verviers-Pepinster (Belgium-Ethias League) playing  9 games averaging 13.1ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 36.8%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 86.1%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for Solna Vikings (Sweden-Basketligan) playing 36 games averaging 15.3ppg, 2.2rpg, Assists-4(5.7apg), Steals-5(1.8spg), FGP: 45.0%, 3PT: 39.4%, FT: 82.4%. Last season he played for Jolly Jadranska Banka Sibenik (Croatia-A1) playing 18 games averaging 16.2ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.7apg, 2FGP: 53.2%, 3FGP: 41.2%, FT: 86.2%, in Mar.’16 moved to Chorale de Roanne Basket (France-ProB, starting five): 13 games: 8.8ppg, 2.5rpg, 4.6apg, FGP: 44.9%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 70.4%. He spoke to German Hoopsabout basketball.

 

 

 

 

Hi James thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

Thanks for having me. I’m currently in Sweden right now. Just signed to Boras Basket. My summer was good, as I got to spend time with my family, travel some, and play some summer ball.

Did you see Jimmy Mckinney this summer? He hasn’t signed yet and I fear he may retire. Do you have any latest scoop on what he is up to`?

I’ve seen Jimmy a lot this summer, he’s like a big brother to me. But unfortunately for Europe and specifically German BBL fans, J Roc has chosen to retire. He is now coaching at our old high school and helping in the community with working out younger kids. Played pick up ball with him this summer and he still has it.

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Dru Joyce Pulls A Justin Cobbs Leading The s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg Past The Fraport Skyliners 77-75

Just when the Wurzburg arena went bonkers after they had won their second game in exciting fashion beating derby opponent Giessen 46ers 104-101 in OT with a Maurice Stuckey game winning three letting ex German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to ponder why it took him so long to witness his first ever Beko BBL game and most fans probably boasting that they had witnessed the most dramatic game of the Beko BBL second game day, the German walking wounded of the Fraport Skyliners with national players Danilo Barthel, Johannes Voigtmann and Konstantin Klein had a little mix of shock and anger as they had witnessed the end of the Frankfurt-Oldenburg game where they were robbed of overtime on a Johannes Richter bucket that wasn´t given. Depending just how good the cooking aptitude of cooking chef Danilo Barthel was, the players seemed to have enjoyed his feast that he has prepared, but even when not one could of at least excused ones self to the rest room to relieve one´s self, but in the aftermath of the horrible call, there would have been no need to scamper away to the lavatory as the scene left in the Oldenburg arena would have been enough to vomit one´s grief all over the living room. After a magnificent victory in Bremerhaven where they held a very offensive talented team to only 59 points, the club traveled to Oldenburg with a walking wounded list as long as the grocery list of Shaq, but once again Fraport Skyliner´s mastermind behind the bench Gordon Herbert devised another plan of getting the most out of the talent he had and stayed close to Oldenburg all night long. The way the Fraport Skyliners lost left a very sour taste in their scent in their stomach, but the club had four days to try to digest this misfortune as best they could and next had to battle against aspiring s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg who blew away the Pro A last season despite losing to Giessen for the Pro A title and came into the Fraport arena with a 1-1 record. It a very tight game throughout, but in crunch time when the Fraport Skyliners could have used a Justin Cobbs who displayed countless times last season his calmness, cool demeanor, rookie leadership and cold execution in getting Frankfurt over the hump, tonight it was Lebron James friend Dru Joyce who stole the show from Jordan Theodore hitting big shots and keeping the club together in the end winning a real nail bitter 77-75 the way Cobbs did last season “Frankfurt had more energy in the first half, but luckily we were able to stay close to them. However we gave a better effort in the second half, played with more intensity and picked it up on defense”, warned ex TBB Trier guard Dru Joyce. The Fraport Skyliners lost their second game in a row on the last possession and their frustration showed after the loss with faces as long as the trek a person would have to take across the Bering strait. “This loss was unnecessary. We have had lost two games in a row at the end and it really hurts. We have very high goals and to lose two games like this is very difficult”, added Fraport Skyliner center JohanneRichter. Fraport Skyliner Jordan Theodore didn´t shy away from expressing his grief, but at the same time was man enough to take a blame for the team´s shortcoming. “We have injuries and also lost two close games, but we can´t make excuses. I have to play better at the end. I am a player that can score, but I didn´t get it done tonight. I will get better. It all comes down to execution. It is still early in the season. We still have many games. We will be fine and believe me I will be in the gym tomorrow morning”, warned New York native Jordan Theodore. “We gave up too many three pointers in the first half and had bad rotations. We defended better in the second half and attacked more in the second half after being too passive in the first half”, added ex UCLA center Brendan Lane.

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Can Dru Joyce Make the Playoffs A Reality For The s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg?

It is never advantageous to put the fortunes of a club on the strong shoulders of one player, but it just happens that the point guard position on a basketball team is very vital for the success of a club as it is the quarterback on a NFL football team. You can make unending examples from football and basketball where a point guard or quarterback had what it took to the lead the team to the promised land and guys where it just wasn´t enough. A great example is Dru Joyce who is a point guard that has gone through his basketball life as a top 10 point guard year in and year out in the Beko BBL, but at the same time no day goes by where he isn´t asked more than one question about his ex high school teammate and buddy Lebron James and probably even would get the one or other question posed by a closet spider if he were to be accidently locked in there, but in spite of that has stayed grounded and performed solidly since becoming a professional in 2007. He helped a young and determined ratiopharm Ulm team make the playoffs in 2009 and did again two years in a row in Oldenburg despite having a predecessor who left the team a bit in shambles. After four consecutive playoff appearances and winning the 2009 Beko BBL championship, the club missed the Beko BBL playoffs in 2012 in 10th place despite a very competitive roster. With the arrival of ex NBA player Bobby Brown, it seemed like a given that the team would not only reach the playoffs, but possibly reach the final, but the California native was unable to lead the club into the promised land in May. At the times the ex Sacramento King seemed more obsessed with his own scoring average than doing what was best for the team. His lethal scoring at times was so destructive it seemed that the best for the opponent could have been to blare out the famous Bobby Brown hit “Don´t be cruel” in hopes that he might stop, but in the end his scoring wasn´t even consistent enough to get the extra needed victories. Despite leading the Beko BBL in scoring and being in fifth place for best assist average, there were numerous games where his one on one play and ego got in the way in crunch time and he could have been wearing a Amare Stoudemire mask and no one would of noticed. Despite this forgettable season, Brown went on to win the Italian league the next season with Montepaschi Siena and then played some seasons in China with DongGuan New Century Leopards making big bucks and averaging 30 and 31ppg both seasons and nailing 74 points in one game. Sometimes a player and a team don´t mesh the way they should on the court as Brown displayed and sometimes they do. However in 2012 new Oldenburg head coach Sebastian Machowski hauled in Lebron James friend Dru Joyce who is as much of a classical point guard as NBA legend John Stockton was back in the day. The Ohio native can score if needed, but in his seven seasons in the Beko BBL with Ulm,Trier, Oldenburg and last season Braunschweig was in the top five in assists four times and would most likely choose the pass over a lay up on a 2-0. Oldenburg was fortunate that his non ego playmaking skills led the team back into the Beko BBL playoffs. Joyce knows what he can do and has the needed self confidence to be successful as a professional basketball player.

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Can Dru Joyce (EWE Baskets Oldenburg) Help Forget Bobby Don´t Be Cruel Brown This Season?

After reaching the Beko BBL playoffs year after year, it can quickly become a matter of course for a renowned organization like the EWE Baskets Oldenburg continuing to reach the post season each season as its is for NBA superstar Rajon Rondo to make at least one spectacular eyebrow raising pass each game. After four consecutive playoff appearances and winning the 2009 Beko BBL championship, the club missed the Beko BBL playoffs last season finishing in 10th place despite a very competitive roster. With the arrival of ex NBA player Bobby Brown last season, it seemed like a given that the team would not only reach the playoffs, but possibly reach the final, but the California native was unable to lead the club into the promised land in May. At the times the ex Sacramento King seemed more obsessed with his own scoring average than doing what was best for the team. His lethal scoring at times was so destructive it seemed that the best for the opponent could have been to blare out the famous Bobby Brown hit “Don´t be cruel” in hopes that he might stop, but in the end his scoring wasn´t even consistent enough to get the extra needed victories. Despite leading the Beko BBL in scoring last season and being in fifth place for best assist average, there were numerous games where his one on one play and ego got in the way in crunch time and he could have been wearing a Amare Stoudemire mask and no one would of noticed. This season new Oldenburg  head coach Sebastian Machowski hauled in Lebron James friend Dru Joyce who is as much of a classical point guard as NBA legend John Stockton was back in the day. The Ohio native can score if needed, but in his four seasons in the Beko BBL with Ulm and Trier he has been second in assists twice and third once and would most likely choose the pass over a lay up on a 2-0. Oldenburg hopes that his non ego playmaking skills will lead the team back into the Beko BBL playoffs. Joyce knows what he can do and has the needed self confidence to be successful as a professional basketball player. “I go out and try to be a good leader. I know that I am a pretty good playmaker that also likes to create and finish. Key for me also is to play good defense”, warned Dru Joyce. One of the better and more underrated defenders in the Beko BBL is TBB Trier forward Nate Linhart who remembers Joyce well from Akron where they were teammates and from Trier. “Dru has continued to develop his penetration and point guard skills the last years. He is a lot more physical and sees the court better. He has improved his pick and role play the most”, stressed Nate Linhart. If the EWE Baskets Oldenburg reach the Beko BBL playoffs this season, then fans won´t remember how cruel the offseason and long summer was.

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Nate Linhart (TBB Trier): With Dru Joyce I Always Knew What I Was Going To Get Each Game.

Nate Linhart is a 24 year old 201cm forward from Gahanna, Ohio that will play his third professional basketball season and first in the German Beko BBL with TBB Trier. The American played for Akron (NCAA) from 2005-2009. In his senior year, he played 36 games: 10.3ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.5apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 44.3%, 3Pts: 32.8%, FTBSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-A Bundesliga, starting five): 44 games: 11.1ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.6apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 59.4%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 76.1%.last season, he played for Erie Bay Hawks (D-League): 50 games: 10.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 2.9apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 73.8%. Awards/Achievements in his career have been MAC East Division Regular Season Runner-Up -06, 08, MAC Tournament Semifinals -06, MAC East Division Regular Season Champion -07, 09, MAC Tournament Finalist -07, 08, All-MAC Honorable Mention -09, MAC Defensive Player of the Year -09, MAC Tournament Winner -09, MAC All-Tournament MVP -09, MAC All-Tournament Team -09, Eurobasket Summer League in Las Vegas Finalist -09, Austrian Supercup Winner -09, Eurobasket.com All-Austrian Bundesliga Honorable Mention -10, Eurobasket.com Austrian Bundesliga All-Defensive Team -10, Austrian Bundesliga A Finalist -10, Austrian Bundesliga A Regular Season Champion -10, and D-League East Conference Runner-Up -11. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

You will be starting your third professional basketball season in October for TBB Trier in the Beko BBL. What were the main reasons that you chose the club on the Mosel river?

I had a chance to meet Coach Roedl last year in Vegas and he made an impression on me as someone I would enjoy playing for. When the opportunity presented itself to play for him this year, after reviewing my other options, I felt it would be the best fit for me in Trier.

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Dru Joyce(TBB Trier): I Go Out And Try To Be A Good Leader

Dru Joyce is a 25 year old 183cm point guard from Akron, Ohio that is playing his first season for TBB Trier. He played at St Marys high school with Lebron James and Romeo Travis winning three state championships and compiling a 103-5 record. He played at Akron(NCAA) from 2003-2007. In his senior year, he played 33 games averaging 10.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 41.3%, 3Pts: 39.6%, FT: 65.6%. In 2007-2008, he played for Ratiopharm Ulm playing 34 games averaging 9.5ppg, 2.0rpg, Assists-2(4.4apg), 2FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 72.8%. In 2008-2009, he played his second season in Ulm and played 34 games averaging 10.1ppg, 1.8rpg, Assists-2(4.5apg), FGP: 42.8%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 73.0%. Last season, he played for Energa Czarni Slupsk (Poland-PLK, starting five), Polish League: 6 games: 4.5ppg, 1.5rpg, 3.0apg; in Nov.’09 moved to Anwil Wloclawek (Poland-PLK): 27 games: 7.5ppg, 1.6rpg, 3.4apg, FGP: 41.0%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 75.9%.. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

What is it like playing against John Goldsberry? He doesn´t score much, but does everything as a point guard. Where would you rate him in the BEKO BBL?

He is one of the top point guards in the league. He is one of the best because he is leading the team to wins. Bamberg doesn’t need him to score. He sets the table for the team.

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